Belarus Frees 123 Prisoners as US Lifts Potash Sanctions

Does engaging autocrats secure freedom and weaken Putin's grip, or does trading sanctions reward repression over justice?

Published 2 days ago

Belarus Frees 123 Prisoners as US Lifts Potash Sanctions

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Above: Ales Bialiatski speaks to journalists at the U.S. embassy in Vilnius, Lithuania, on Dec. 13, 2025. Image credit: Petras Malukas/AFP/Getty Images

The Spin

Pro-establishment narrative

Diplomatic engagement with Belarus is working. Lifting potash sanctions creates leverage to pull Lukashenko away from Putin's influence while achieving tangible human rights progress. Strategic dealmaking delivers real results where isolation failed.

Michael Linder on X

Establishment-critical narrative

Trading sanctions for prisoner releases rewards authoritarian regimes and legitimizes brutal crackdowns. Human rights shouldn't be bargaining chips in economic negotiations: this deal proves that dissidents' freedom depends on leverage, not justice.

TheCommonVoice on X

Narrative C

The release of political prisoners is welcomed, yet over 1,200 remain jailed for seeking a voice. This moment honors courage and pressure, but exposes broken families and silenced voices. Freedom for all prisoners must follow without delay now.

Margus Tsahkna on X Amnesty International

Narrative D

Like any other sovereign nation, Belarus imprisons those who violate the law, marking a justified response to threats against national sovereignty. Critics from the West hypocritically ignore similar practices in their own histories while condemning Belarus for prioritizing state security. In a world of geopolitical rivalries, these measures ensure the nation's resilience against hybrid warfare and internal sabotage.

Shumilino Regional Executive Committee